Aviendha Unveiled: Unraveling the Enigmatic Hero in Wheel of Time Season 2

Warning: Spoilers for The Wheel of Time season 2, episode 5

Summary

In The Wheel of Time season 2, episode 5, a new character named Aviendha emerges as a heroic figure. Her objective is to locate the Car'a'carn, also referred to as the Dragon Reborn, who holds the position of the Chief of Chiefs. Aviendha, belonging to the Maiden of the Spear - a remarkable tribe of Aiel fighters consisting entirely of women - possesses remarkable combat skills and serves as a protective guard for the Car'a'carn.

Aviendha, a prominent character in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time books, is destined to be one of three love interests for Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn. Their relationship evolves gradually throughout the series.

In season 2, episode 5 of The Wheel of Time, a new hero named Aviendha is introduced. She is a significant character from the book series, with an important mission to fulfill. Portrayed by Ayoola Smart, the TV adaptation of Aviendha is just as crucial to the story as her literary counterpart, even though her introduction in the show differs from the books.

Aviendha Is Looking For The Dragon Reborn

Aviendha, despite her recent arrival, has quickly established herself as a valuable ally. Rescued by Marcus Rutherford's Perrin from her captivity, this enigmatic Aiel woman fearlessly confronted a group of Whitecloaks and willingly aligned herself with him. Driven by a deep sense of indebtedness towards Perrin for saving her life, Aviendha is resolute in her decision to accompany him on his journey. Simultaneously, her personal agenda drives her to seek the Aiel's revered "Car’a’carn," also known as the "Chief of Chiefs." The knowledge of Aviendha's role in The Wheel of Time's overarching narrative, her mission's true essence, and the Car’a’carn's identity are unveiled in the pages of the books.

Rand al’Thor, the protagonist of the books, is known by various names, including the “Dragon Reborn.” Among the Aiel, he is referred to as “Car’a’carn,” a title associated with a prophecy that predicts his role as their Chief of Chiefs. The Aiel, who reside in the Aiel Waste, have long awaited the arrival of the Car’a’carn to lead them out of the desert. They also refer to him as “He Who Comes With The Dawn.”

The Aiel will recognize the Car’a’carn by the presence of a person with a dragon symbol on each arm. Currently, Rand lacks these marks, but it is in his fate to receive them. It is important to mention that the Aiel prophecy regarding the Car’a’carn is distinct from the one that predicts the arrival of the Dragon Reborn. Furthermore, the term "Car’a’carn" is not exclusively linked to the Dragon’s legacy. Unlike the Aes Sedai and others in the Wheel of Time universe, the Aiel have no concern for combating the Dark One or the destiny of the Dragon Reborn – until they discover that both roles are fulfilled by the same individual.

Aviendha Is A Maiden Of The Spear

Aviendha showcased remarkable battle prowess, underscoring her esteemed position as a Maiden of the Spear within Aiel culture. The Aiel society comprises various clans, including the Maidens of the Spear, an all-female tribe. The Maidens encompass the most formidable and ferocious Aiel women. Much like Aviendha, many individuals dedicate most of their lives to rigorous training in order to join this esteemed clan. Prospective Maidens must exhibit mastery in hand-to-hand combat, archery, and spear fighting. Notably, their preferred weaponry consists of shortened spears, as demonstrated by Aviendha in her introductory episode. Moreover, women who become Maidens must "wed the Spear," committing themselves entirely to the warrior lifestyle and forgoing marriage.

Avienda Is One Of Rand’s Main Love Interests

The Maidens of the Spear serve as Rand's bodyguards in the books, particularly after he becomes the Car'a'carn. This is significant because according to the prophecy, the Car'a'carn is described as someone "born of a Maiden wedded to no man." As depicted in The Wheel of Time season 1, episode 7, Rand al'Thor's mother, Tigraine Mantear, was herself a Maiden. Despite not being born of the Aiel, she joined their ranks and earned her place among the Maidens many years ago. Consequently, Aviendha and the Maidens spend a significant amount of time in Rand's presence, as his death would prevent the fulfillment of the Car'a'carn prophecy.

Apart from her role as a Maiden in the quest to find Rand, she is also intricately linked to his story in a different way. In the early stages of the books, Min's visions revealed that he was destined to be romantically involved with three women, who were essentially his soulmates. Min herself is one of them, while the other two are Elayne Trakand and Aviendha. The books delve into their relationship starting from the fourth book, The Shadow Rising, gradually progressing from there. Aviendha, out of loyalty to her friend Elayne, initially tries to resist her attraction to Rand, knowing that Elayne is in love with him.

Aviendha’s Role In The Wheel Of Time Is Already Different From The Books

Aviendha's role in the story already contrasts with that of her book counterpart. In season 2, which loosely followed the events of the second book, The Great Hunt, Aviendha was not part of the depicted events. However, she is now on track to join Perrin in assisting his friends and participating in the highly-anticipated battle in Falme. It is worth noting that in the book version, Aviendha was not introduced until after these events had taken place. Her debut occurred towards the end of the third book, The Dragon Reborn, and it was not until the fourth installment, The Shadow Rising, that she became a major character.

Interestingly, Aviendha's connection to Perrin's story in The Wheel of Time is an invention of the series and is not a relationship they share in the source material. This connection is based on a concept from the books, and Aviendha refers to it as "toh" in the episode "Damane." "Toh" is part of the honor system within Aiel culture, where if an Aiel feels indebted to someone for various reasons, they have "toh" with that person. Fulfilling "toh" depends on the specific act that created it in the first place.

Based on Aiel tradition, the obligation Aviendha owes Perrin is considered a life debt. Perrin saved her life, and as a result, she is now required to accompany him in order to repay this debt, possibly even with her own life. In the books, Aviendha also has a debt to both Rand and Elayne, with Elayne being one of her closest friends. Aviendha becomes deeply involved in their stories, particularly Elayne's, after encountering Nynaeve, Egwene, and Elayne before the other characters. As The Wheel of Time has chosen to establish a connection between Perrin and Aviendha first, it is uncertain if this relationship still holds true. The Wheel of Time releases new episodes on Amazon Prime Video every Friday.